Image processing apparatus and image processing method for processing screen-processed image

ABSTRACT

A multi-value code image generation part generates a multi-value code image by assigning first code information, which is obtained by encoding a dot pattern in a specific area, to each growth core. A multi-value code image affine transformation part performs affine transformation on the multi-value code image. A multi-value code image assignment part assigns second code information to each of the growth cores before the affine transformation according to the first code information of at least one growth core after the affine transformation, which growth core neighbors close to the growth core before the affine transformation. A dot pattern development part develops the dot pattern for the specific area at each of the growth cores before the affine transformation according to the second code information.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and animage processing method for processing a screen-processed image.

2. Description of the Related Art

An electrophotographic system is known as an image recording system usedfor an image formation apparatus such as a printer and a copy machine.The electrophotographic system forms a latent image on a photosensitivedrum utilizing a laser beam and develops the image using charged colormaterial (hereinafter, called toner). Recording of an image is carriedout by transferring and fixing the image formed by the developed toneronto a transfer sheet.

While the output image at that time is considered to be multi-gradationimage data including a halftone, it is difficult to obtain the halftoneimage with the above electrophotographic system. Accordingly, imageformation is typically carried out by generation of pseudo-halftoneimage data composed of a dot pattern of N bits (N=1, 2, 4, etc.) usingscreen processing.

Meanwhile, the image is sometimes stored temporarily in a storage unitsuch as a memory or a hard disk drive within a printer or a copy machinefor the purpose of finishing processing such as book binding and pageimposition, or for the purpose of error processing such as sheet sizechange when the sheet has run out. In carrying out such finishingprocessing or error processing, it is frequently required to rotateand/or change magnification (size change) of the accumulated image.

When the image data is accumulated or stored, it is advantageous interms of capacity to store the image data composed of the dot pattern ofN bits after the screen processing compared to the multi-gradation imagedata. However, it is difficult to appropriately perform image rotationand/or magnification change, which are/is necessary when the abovefinishing processing or error processing is performed, on an image afterthe screen processing.

FIG. 30 shows a state of rotating a screen-processed original imagecounter-clockwise by 90 degrees. In the image rotated counter-clockwise,it is apparent that the dot pattern shape formed by the screenprocessing has been changed. This becomes a factor changing a latentimage pattern obtained by the laser irradiation on the photosensitivedrum, and thereby causes a problem that output image density changesbetween the case with 90 degree rotation and the case without rotation.Further, if a growth pattern is configured for reducing mechanicaljitters and irregularity in a printer engine, the reduction effect islost and image degradation is caused such as appearance of moire orirregularity.

FIGS. 31 and 32 show states of twofold enlargement and half reductionfor screen-processed original image, respectively. Apparently in thesecases, there arises a problem that an original screen pattern is lostand the image is deteriorated.

For solving the problem for the rotation, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No.2007-196567 discloses a technique carrying out the following processingwhen the rotation processing is necessary for an image. That is, thescreen processing is carried out by using a dither matrix which isgenerated by rotation of a dither matrix itself to be used for thescreen processing in a reverse angle of the image rotation angle, andthen the screen-processed image is rotated. This provides an imageequivalent to an image subjected to the screen processing after theimage rotation in the multi-gradation image.

In addition, for solving the problem for the magnification change,Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. S62-216476 (1987) discloses a techniquecarrying out the following processing. That is, a screen-processed imageis subjected to the magnification change, a multi-gradation image isobtained by calculation of an average density in an image after themagnification change, and the screen processing is performed again onthe obtained multi-gradation image using the dither matrix.

However, there is a problem that even the technique disclosed by aboveJapanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-196567 can cope with only the casethat an image is preliminarily rotated and the rotation angle is known.

Further, there is a problem that even the technique disclosed byJapanese Patent Laid-Open No. S62-216476 (1987) does not restore themulti-gradation image, obtained by the density averaging of the imagewhich has been obtained by the magnification change of thescreen-processed image, completely to the image obtained by themagnification change of the original multi-gradation image. Accordingly,there is a problem that the result of the screen processing for themulti-gradation image obtained by the density averaging is differentfrom that of the screen processing for the image obtained by themagnification change of the multi-gradation image.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an image processing apparatus and animage processing method which are capable of obtaining an imageequivalent to an image obtained by screen processing of amulti-gradation image after rotation processing and/or magnificationchange processing, even when the screen-processed image is subjected toat least one of the rotation processing and the magnification changeprocessing.

An image processing apparatus of the present invention includes: a unitgenerating a multi-value code image by assigning first dot pattern codeinformation to each of growth center pixels which are growth centers ofscreen processing, in an image subjected to the screen processing by useof a dither matrix, the first dot pattern code information representinga dot pattern and obtained by encoding the dot pattern existing in animage area where dots grow around the growth center pixel; a unitperforming an affine transformation on the multi-value code image; aunit assigning second dot pattern code information which represents thedot pattern, to each of the growth center pixels before the affinetransformation in the multi-value code image after the affinetransformation according to the first dot pattern code information of atleast one growth center pixel after the affine transformation, the atleast one growth center pixel neighboring close to the growth centerpixel before the affine transformation; and a unit developing the dotpattern for the image area at each of the growth center pixels beforethe affine transformation according to the second dot pattern codeinformation.

An image processing method of the present invention includes the stepsof: generating a multi-value code image by assigning first dot patterncode information to each of growth center pixels which are growthcenters of screen processing, in an image subjected to the screenprocessing by use of a dither matrix, the first dot pattern codeinformation representing a dot pattern and obtained by encoding the dotpattern existing in an image area where dots grow around the growthcenter pixel; performing an affine transformation on the multi-valuecode image; assigning second dot pattern code information whichrepresents the dot pattern, to each of the growth center pixels beforethe affine transformation in the multi-value code image after the affinetransformation according to the first dot pattern code information of atleast one growth center pixel after the affine transformation, the atleast one growth center pixel neighboring close to the growth centerpixel before the affine transformation; and developing the dot patternfor the image area at each of the growth center pixels before the affinetransformation according to the second dot pattern code information.

A computer-readable recording medium of the present invention records aprogram for causing a computer to execute the above method.

A program of the present invention causes a computer to execute theabove method.

According to the present invention, when the rotation and/ormagnification change are/is performed on an image subjected to screenprocessing, it is possible to obtain a screen image having the same linenumber, angle, and growth pattern as those of a screen-processed imageof a multi-value code image after the rotation and/or magnificationchange processing.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments (with reference to theattached drawings).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic entire block diagram of an image processingapparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a reader section and a printersection of an image processing apparatus according to an embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control unit in an image processingapparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an image processing part in a control unitaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a graphic processor in a control unitaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is diagram showing a storage form of a processing result in animage processing part according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a processing flow example of a graphicprocessor according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 8A and 85 are schematic diagrams of image tiling operations inaffine transformation by a graphic processor according to an embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a flow example of a PDL processing sequenceaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a flow example of a copy processingsequence according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a flow example of a box print functionsequence according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 12A, 125, and 12C are schematic diagrams for cases requiringaffine transformation according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a numerical value example of a dithermatrix according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a diagram showing a part of dither matrix informationaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing another part of dither matrix informationaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a block configuration diagram of an affine transformationpart according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a processing flow example of a multi-valuecode image generation part according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a processing flow example of a multi-valuecode image assignment part according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of an input image to an affinetransformation part according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 20 is a diagram showing a processing result example in amulti-value code image generation part according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a processing result example in amulti-value code affine transformation part for 90 degree rotationaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a diagram showing a processing result example in amulti-value code image assignment part for 90 degree rotation accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 23 is a diagram showing a processing result example in a dotpattern development part for 90 degree rotation according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a processing result example in amulti-value code image affine transformation part for 75% reductionaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a diagram showing a processing result example in amulti-value code image assignment section for 75% reduction according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a processing result example in a dotpattern development part for 75% reduction according to an embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a processing flow example in a multi-valuecode assignment part according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 28 is a block configuration diagram of an affine transformationpart according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 29 is a diagram showing a processing flow example of a multi-valuecode image generation part according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 30 is a diagram showing a conventional state of 90 degree rotationfor a screen-processed image;

FIG. 31 is a diagram showing a conventional state of twofold enlargementfor a screen-processed image; and

FIG. 32 is a diagram showing a conventional state of half reduction fora screen-processed image.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail with reference to the drawings. Note that constituents having thesame function are denoted by the same symbol in the drawings to bedescribed below and repeated description thereof will be omitted.

First Embodiment Entire Configuration of an Image Processing Apparatus

An entire configuration of an image processing apparatus according to anembodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toFIG. 1.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an imageprocessing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1,a reader section (image input unit) 200 reads a document image opticallyand converts the document image into image data. The reader section 200includes a scanner unit 210 having a function of reading a document anda document feeder unit 250 having a function of feeding a documentsheet.

A printer section (image output unit) 300 feeds a recording sheet,prints the image data as a visible image thereon, and discharges thesheet to the outside of the apparatus. The printer section 300 includesa sheet feeder unit 320 having plural kinds of recording sheet cassettesand a marking unit 310 having a function of transferring and fixing theimage data onto the recording sheet. Further, the printer section 300includes a sheet discharge unit 370 having a function of outputting theprinted recording sheet outside of the apparatus after sorting andstapling.

A control unit 110 is electrically connected to the reader section 200and the printer section 300 and further connected to a client PC 11 viaa network 10 such as Ethernet (registered trade mark).

The control unit 110 reads the image data of the document by controllingthe reader section 200, and provides a copy function of outputting theimage data onto the recording sheet by controlling the printer section300. In addition, the control unit 110 provides also a printer function.In this printer function, the image processing apparatus 100 receivesPDL (Page Description Language) data converted by a printer driver froman application operating on the client PC 11, via the network 10. Then,the image processing apparatus 100 converts the PDL data into image databy PDL processing operating on a CPU in the control unit 110 and outputsthe image data to the printer section 300.

An operation part 150 is connected to the control unit 110 and includesa liquid crystal touch panel, and provides a user I/F for operating theimage processing apparatus 100. That is, a user can input apredetermined instruction into the image processing apparatus 100 viathe operation part 150. In addition, a display part (not shown) candisplay predetermined information such as a state of the apparatus onthe above liquid crystal touch panel.

Next, operation in each part of the reader section 200 and the printersection 300 shown in FIG. 1 will be described by use of thecross-sectional view of FIG. 2.

In the reader section 200, the document feeder unit 250 feeds a documentonto a platen glass 211 sheet by sheet in the order from the front pageand discharges the document on the platen glass 211 after the documentread operation. The reader section 200 lights a lamp 212 when thedocument is fed onto the platen glass 211 and causes an optical unit 213to start moving and to expose and scan the document. The reflected lightfrom the document at this time is guided to a CCD image sensor(hereinafter, called CCD) 218 by mirrors 214, 215 and 216 and a lens217. In this manner, the scanned image of the document is read by theCCD 218.

A reader image processing circuit part 222 performs a predeterminedprocessing on image data output from the CCD 218 and outputs the imagedata to a control unit 110 via a scanner I/F 140 (refer to FIG. 3). Aprinter image processing circuit part 352 converts an image signal sentfrom the control unit 110 via a printer I/F 145 (refer to FIG. 3) into asignal driving a laser driver and then outputs the converted signal tothe laser driver.

In the printer section 300, the laser driver 317 drives laser emissionparts 313, 314, 315 and 316, and enables the laser emission parts 313,314, 315 and 316 to emit laser beams according to the image data outputfrom the printer image processing circuit part 352. These laser beamsare irradiated onto photosensitive drums 325 to 328 by mirrors 340 to351 and latent images are formed according to the laser beams on thephotosensitive drums 325 to 328 charged by operation of charging partswhich are not shown in the drawing, respectively.

Symbols 321, 322, 323 and 324 indicate development devices fordeveloping the latent images with toners of black (Bk), yellow (Y), cyan(C), and magenta (M), respectively, and respective colors of thedeveloped tonners are transferred onto a sheet for a print out in fullcolor.

A sheet fed from any one of sheet cassettes 360 and 361 and a manualtray 362 at timing synchronized with the start of the laser beamirradiation is sucked onto a transfer belt 334 via a resist roller 333to be conveyed. Then, the developers attached to the photosensitivedrums 325, 326, 327 and 328 are transferred onto the recording sheet.

The recording sheet carrying the developers are conveyed to a fixingpart 335 and the developers are fixed onto the recording sheet by heatand pressure of the fixing part 335. The recording sheet passing throughthe fixing part 335 is discharged by a discharge roller 336, and adischarge unit 370 sorts the recording sheets by putting together thedischarged recording sheets and staples the sorted recording sheets.

When book binding recording is set, the recording sheet having beenconveyed to the discharge roller 336 is guided to a re-feedingconveyance route 338 by a flapper 337 after the reversal of the rotationdirection in the discharge roller 336. The recording sheet having beenguided to the re-feeding conveyance route 338 is fed to the transferbelt 334 at the above described timing.

<Explanation of the Control Unit>

The configuration of the control unit 110 shown in FIG. 1 will bedescribed by use of the block diagram shown in FIG. 3.

In FIG. 3, a main controller 111 mainly includes a CPU 112, a buscontroller 113, and various kinds of I/F controller circuits.

The CPU 112 and the bus controller 113 control the operation of theentire control unit 110, and the CPU 112 is operated according to aprogram read from a ROM 114 via a ROM I/F 115.

Operation of interpreting the PDL (Page Description Language) code datareceived from the client PC 11 and developing the PDL code data intoimage data is also described in this program and processed by thesoftware. The bus controller 113 controls data transfer into and fromeach I/F and controls arbitration of bus competition and DMA datatransfer.

A DRAM 116 is connected to the main controller 111 by a DRAM I/F 117 andused as a work area for the operation of the CPU 112 and an area foraccumulating image data.

A codec 118 compresses the image data accumulated in the DRAM 116 intocode data of a format such as MH, MR, MMR, JBIG, and JPEG and converselydecompresses the compressed accumulated code data into the image data.An SRAM 119 is used as a temporary work area for the codec 118. Thecodec 118 is connected to the main controller 111 via an I/F 120, andthe data transfer with the DRAM 116 is controlled by the bus controller113 to be transferred in the DMA mode.

An image processing part 181 carries out processing converting the imagedata generated in the reader section 200 by the document reading or theimage data generated by the PDL processing operating on the maincontroller 111 into the image data suitable for printing in the printersection 300. An SRAM 182 is used as a temporary work area for the imageprocessing part and as a storage area of setting information. The imageprocessing part 181 is connected to the main controller 111 via a busI/F 180, and the data transfer with the DRAM 116 is controlled by thebus controller 113 to be transferred in the DMA mode.

A graphic processor 135 performs image processing such as affinetransformation (image rotation and/or image magnification change) andimage synthesis on the image data accumulated in the DRAM 116. An SRAM136 is used as a temporary work area for the graphic processor 135 andas a storage area of the setting information. The graphic processor 135is connected to the main controller 111 via an I/F 137, and the datatransfer with the DRAM 116 is controlled by the bus controller 113 to betransferred in the DMA mode.

Note that the configurations and functions of the image processing part181 and the graphic processor 135 will be described hereinafter indetail.

A network controller 121 is connected to the main controller 111 by anI/F 123 and connected to an external network by a connector 122.Typically, the network includes Ethernet (registered trade mark).

A universal high-speed bus 125 is connected with an extension connector124 and an I/O controller 126 for the connection of an extension board.

The I/O controller 126 includes two channels of a asynchronous serialcommunication controller 127 for transmitting and receiving a controlcommand to and from each of CPUs in the reader section 200 and theprinter section 300 and is connected to the external I/F circuits 140and 145 by an I/O bus 128.

A panel I/F 132 is connected to an LCD controller 131 and includes anI/F for displaying an image on a liquid crystal screen of the operationsection 150 and a key input I/F 130 for carrying out the input of a hardkey or a touch panel key. The operation part 150 includes a liquidcrystal display part, a touch panel input device attached on the liquidcrystal display part, and a plurality of hard keys. A signal input fromthe touch panel or the hard key is transferred to the CPU 112 via theabove panel I/F 132, and the liquid crystal display part displays imagedata sent from the panel I/F 132. The liquid crystal display partdisplays a function list for the operation of the image processingapparatus 100, image data, etc.

An E-IDE interface 161 is provided for connecting an external storageunit. In the present embodiment, through this I/F 161, a hard disk drive160 is connected, image data is stored into a hard disk 162, and imagedata is read from the hard disc 162.

Symbols 142 and 147 indicate connectors which are connected to thereader section 200 and the printer section 300, respectively, andincludes asynchronous serial T/Fs 143 and 148 and video I/Fs 144 and149.

The scanner I/F 140 is connected to the reader section 200 via aconnector 142 and also to the main controller 111 by a scanner bus 141,and has a function of performing a predetermined processing on an imagereceived from the reader section 200. Further, the scanner I/F 140 alsohas a function of outputting a control signal generated from a videocontrol signal sent from the reader section 200, to the scanner bus 141.The data transfer from the scanner bus 141 to the DRAM 116 is controlledby the bus controller 113.

A printer I/F 145 is connected to the printer section 300 via aconnector 147 and also connected to the main controller 111 by a printerbus 146. This printer I/F 145 has a function of performing apredetermined processing on image data output from the main controller111 and outputting the image data to the printer section 300. Further,the printer I/F 145 also has a function of outputting a control signalgenerated from a video control signal sent from the printer section 300,to the printer bus 146. The data transfer of raster image data developedon the DRAM 116 to the printer section is controlled by the buscontroller 113, and the data is transferred in the DMA mode to theprinter section 300 via the printer bus 146 and the video I/F 149.

<Configuration of the Image Processing Part>

Next, the processing of the image processing part 181 provided in thecontrol unit 110 will be described by use of the block diagram of FIG.4.

The image processing part 181 includes a processing block specific tothe operation of the copy function and a processing block common to theoperations of the copy function and the PDL print function. The imageprocessing part 181 processes image data sent from the main controller111 via the bus I/F 180 and returns the processing result to the maincontroller 111 via the bus I/F 180 in the same way.

In the copy operation, MTF correction 401 corrects a read frequencycharacteristic of multi-value image data (here, 8 bits) read by thereader section 200. Input color conversion 402 carries out conversionfrom a color space specific to the reader section 200 to a common RGBcolor space, for the corrected image data. Here in the presentembodiment, the color space conversion is assumed to carry out theconversion from the color space of the reader section to thecolorimetric common RGB color space by matrix calculation using apreliminarily defined 3×3 matrix.

Output color conversion 403 carries out conversion from the common RGBcolor space into a printer color space which is suitable for a printerand composed of color components CMYK, by interpolation calculationusing a color conversion LUT (Look Up Table) 407 for the image datasubjected to the color space conversion to the common color space. Thecolor conversion LUT here is a three dimensional LUT dividing each ofthe three components RGB with an appropriate grid spacing, and entriesof respective LUTs have CMYK values with eight bit accuracycorresponding to the grid points of the LUTs, respectively. The imagedata is converted into the image data composed of the CMYK values by aknown interpolation calculation by use of the three dimensional LOT.

Next, filter processing 404 performs filter processing of a product-sumoperation on the CMYK image data using a filter coefficient according toa user setting. Thereby, it is possible to make CMYK image data foroutput to be sharp or flat.

The density characteristic of the image data processed as describedabove is corrected by gamma processing 405 including one dimensional.LUT. Here, both input and output of the LUT are assumed to have 8 bitaccuracy. Finally, screen processing 406 converts the gamma-correctedimage data into image data having pseudo-halftone expression of one bitfor each color of CMYK using a dither matrix 408 and sends theprocessing result to the main controller. Here, the screen processing406 carries out processing of comparing the input image data withnumerical values on the dither matrix 408 stored in the SRAM 182 andoutputting one if a numerical value of the input image data is largerand zero if the numerical value of the input image data is smaller.While the present embodiment carries out the screen processing of onebit output for simplicity of explanation, the output bit number is notlimited to one bit.

Further, the screen processing 406 can use a plurality of dithermatrices 408 switched by an instruction of the main controller 111. Inthis case, the main controller 111, after storing the dither matrixretained in the ROM 114 or the DRAM 116 into the SRAM 182, instructs theimage processing part 181 to carry out the processing.

Moreover, the image processing part 181 returns the processed image datato the main controller, and the main controller compresses the receivedimage data using the codec 118 and stores the compressed image data inthe DRAM 116 for synchronization with the printer (page spool). At thistime, dither matrix information 505 to be described hereinafter isstored together with a processed image 601 as shown in FIG. 6.

In the PDL function operation, the image processing part 181 receivesthe image data rasterized by the PDL processing from the main controller111 via the bus I/F 180 and carries out the processing. The PDL functionoperation does not need the MTF correction 401 and the input colorconversion 402 for the image read by the reader section 200, and theprocessing of these parts is bypassed and the processing of the outputcolor conversion 403 and subsequent steps is executed.

<Configuration of the Graphic Processor>

Next, the operation of the graphic processor 135 provided to the controlunit 110 will be described with reference to the drawings.

The graphic processor 135 has a function of receiving the image datafrom the main controller 111 via the I/F 137, executing thepredetermined processing according to an instruction of the maincontroller 111, and returning the processing result to the maincontroller 111.

FIG. 5 shows a configuration of respective processing blocks in thegraphic processor 135.

A tile division part 502 has a role of dividing a received image signalinto fine square tiles. While the size of the tile is instructed by themain controller and can be set optionally, the size is set to a size ofthe dither matrix for simplicity of explanation in the presentembodiment.

Depending on needs, the tile-divided image is sent to an image synthesispart 501 or an affine transformation part 504 by an operationinstruction of the main controller 111.

The image synthesis part 501 receives two sets of image data from themain controller and performs synthesis processing on the two sets ofstored image data. In the synthesis method, when pixel values for thepixel of interest are A and B in the two sets of image data,respectively, a pixel value of an output image can be calculated by acalculation method such as A×B/256 and {A×α+B×(256−α)}/256 (α: synthesisratio). Alternatively, the pixel value of the output image may becalculated by a calculation method such as one obtaining a larger pixelvalue between the pixel values A and B. Note that the calculation methodis not limited to the above methods.

The image synthesis part 501 has a function of generating the above αand can calculate a from the pixel value of the image data. The dataafter the synthesis is returned and written in a predetermined-sizebuffer secured in the SRAM 136 at an appropriate position by a tileintegration part 503. After the image synthesis part 501 has finishedthe processing for all the tiles, the graphic processor 135 reads outthe image in the SRAM 136 and transfers the image to the main controllerill.

The affine transformation part 504 performs at least one of the rotationprocessing and the magnification change processing (enlargement orreduction) on the image data transferred from the main controller 111.That is, in the present embodiment, the affine transformation includesrotation transformation and magnification change transformation (atleast one of enlargement transformation and reduction transformation).

The affine transformation part 504 carries out the affine transformationaccording to a parameter setting necessary for the image rotation and/ormagnification change set by the main controller 111. At this time, theimage to be processed of the affine transformation part 504 is thescreen-processed image 601, and the affine transformation part 504carries out the processing using the dither matrix information 505retained together with the image data. The detailed processing of theaffine transformation part 504 will be described hereinafter in detailby use of drawings.

A flow example of the processing carried out by the graphic processor135 in the affine transformation operation will be described by use ofFIG. 7.

The graphic processor 135 starts the processing in S700 according to aoperation start instruction from the main controller 111.

In S701, the graphic processor 135 secures an output buffer with a sizenecessary for retaining an image of the processing result in the SRAM136 according to the setting of the rotation angle and/or magnificationchange ratio by the main controller 111. Next, in S702, the graphicprocessor 135 sets a rotation angle and/or a magnification change ratioin the main-scan direction and a magnification change ratio in thesub-scan direction into the affine transformation part 504. In S703, thegraphic processor 135 receives image data transfer from the buscontroller 113 provided to the main controller 111 and stores the imagedata temporarily in the SRAM 136.

Next, in S704, the graphic processor 135 controls the tile division part502 so as to divide the image into tiles. The tile division part 502divides an original image 800 into respective tiles as shown in FIG. 8Aaccording to a set tile size, tile head address, and offset spacing.That is, the image is divided into tiles such as a tile 11 (801), tile12 (802), tile 13 (803), tile 21 (804), . . . tile NN (805). The graphicprocessor 135 carries out control of supplying the divided tile imagessequentially to the affine transformation part 504.

Next, in S705, the graphic processor 135 controls the affinetransformation part 504 so as to carry out the affine transformationaccording to the setting of the main controller 111. The image subjectedto the affine transformation is sent to the tile integration part 503,and, in S706, the graphic processor 135 controls the tile integrationpart 503 so as to locate the image after the affine transformation inthe output buffer secured on the SRAM 136.

FIG. 8A shows a state of integration for the divided tiles after 90degree rotation. That is, the tile 11 (801), tile 12 (802), tile 13(803), tile 21 (804), . . . tile NN (805) are rotated into tiles such as811, 812, 813, 814, . . . 815, respectively, by the 90 degree rotation.The tile integration part 503 locates the tile image rotated by 90degrees at a predetermined position in the output buffer which isprepared for the 90 degree rotation and obtains a 90 degree-rotatedimage 810.

In addition, FIG. 8B shows a state of integration for the divided tilesafter the twofold enlargement. The tile 11 (801), tile 12 (802), tile 13(803), tile 21 (804), . . . tile NN (805) are enlarged in two times bythe twofold enlargement into tiles such as 821, 822, 823, 824, 825. Thetile integration part 503 locates the tile image enlarged in two timesat a predetermined position and obtains a twofold enlarged image 820.

In S707, the graphic processor 135 checks whether or not all the tileshave been processed and returns the process to S704, if all the tileshave not been processed. If all the tiles have been processed, thegraphic processor 135 reads out the image after the tile integrationfrom the SRAM 136 and transfers the image to the main controller 111,and then terminates the processing in S708.

<PDL Operation Sequence>

A sequence, in which the CPU 112 on the main controller 111 operates thePDL function using the configuration of the respective parts asdescribed above, will be described by use of the processing flow exampleof FIG. 9.

In S900, the CPU 112 starts the PDL operation. In S901, the CPU 112receives the PDL data transmitted from the client PC 11 through thenetwork 10 via the network controller 121 and stores the PDL data intothe DRAM 116. At the same time, the CPU 112 carries out print settingaccording to various kinds of print setting instructions in the PDLdata. The specific print setting examples include a finishing processingsetting such as the number of prints, a sheet size, and one-sideprint/both-side print selection and an image processing setting such asselection of the dither to be used.

Next, in S902, the CPU 112 carries out the PDL processing to performlanguage interpretation and rasterization of the PDL data, and store therasterized image data into the DRAM 116. In S903, the CPU 112 controlsthe bus controller 113 so as to transfer the image data from the DRAM116 to the image processing part 181.

The CPU 112 controls the image processing part 181 so as to perform theimage processing using a processing setting according to the printsetting in S904 and to transfer the processed image data to the DRAM 116in S905.

Next, in S906, the CPU 112 determines whether it is necessary or not tocarry out the processing of the graphic processor 135 such as therotation, magnification change, and synthesis, referring to the contentsof the print setting in the PDL data. If the processing is necessary,the CPU 112 moves the control to S907, and if the processing is notnecessary, the CPU 112 moves the control to S910.

An example of the case requiring the processing of the graphic processor135 will be described by use of FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C. FIG. 12A shows acase in which a selected sheet is detected running out from a sheetcassette. FIG. 12B shows a case in which an imposition of two in one isselected. Further, FIG. 12C shows a case in which a rasterized imageeven suitable for a size of A4 is instructed to be output on an A3sheet. The case of FIG. 12A requires a rotation or reduction operation,the case of FIG. 12B requires a rotation and reduction operation, andthe case of FIG. 12C requires a rotation and enlargement operation.

In S907, the CPU 112 controls the bus controller 113 so as to transferthe image data in the DRAM 116 to the graphic processor 135.

The CPU 112 controls the graphic processor 135 so as to perform thepredetermined processing in S908 and to transfer the image datasubjected to the processing of the graphic processor 135 to the DRAM 116again in S909.

In S910, the CPU 112 compresses the image data in the DRAM 116 using thecodec 118 and writes the compressed data into the DRAM 116 again.

In S911, the CPU 112 controls the bus controller 113 and the I/Ocontroller 126 so as to store the image data in the DRAM 116 temporarilyinto a spool area of the HD drive 160. This processing is necessary fortiming adjustment of synchronization with the printer engine and calledpage spool.

In S912, the CPU 112 checks whether or not box storing instruction isincluded in the print setting. Here, the box means a user's data areasecured in the HD drive and stores the image data in a page spool formatwithout change. In addition, the image data stored in the box can bepreviewed on the LCD panel of the operation part 150 or can be printedagain by a user's instruction at the operation part 150.

If the box storing instruction exists, the CPU 112 stores the image datain the temporary storage area into the user area in S916 and terminatesthe processing in S917.

If the box storing instruction does not exist, the CPU 112 carries outdata transfer to the printer engine. That is, the CPU 112 carries outcontrol of transferring the page spooled image data to the codec 118 fordecompression in S913 and transfers the decompressed image data from theDRAM 116 to the printer I/F 145 in S914. In S915, the CPU 112 sends adata transfer instruction to the printer section 300 and waits for thecompletion of the print operation. When the print has been completed,the CPU 112 terminates the processing in S917.

<Copy Operation Sequence>

Next, a sequence, in which the CPU 112 in the main controller 111operates the copy function, will be described by use of the processingflow example of FIG. 10.

Differences in the flow of the copy operation from that of the PDLoperation are that the image data is read and generated by the readersection 200 and that various kinds of settings such as the finishingsetting and the image processing setting are carried out according to auser instruction on the operation part 150.

The CPU 112 starts the copy operation in S1000.

In S1001, the CPU 112 carries out the copy setting for each sectionaccording to user's key operation or touch panel operation on theoperation part 150.

Next, in S1003, the CPU 112 receives the image data read by the readersection 200 via the scanner I/F and controls each section so as to storethe image data into the DRAM 116. At this time, the read operation ofthe reader section 200 is started by transferring of a scan startinstruction by the press down of a copy start key (not shown) on theoperation part 150 to the reader section 200 via the scanner I/F.

The following steps are almost the same as those in the above PDLoperation.

That is, the image data stored in the DRAM 116 is transferred to theimage processing part 181 (S1003 to S1005), and the image data subjectedto the image processing is further subjected to the processing of thegraphic processor 135 if needed (S1006 to S1009). The image data is pagespooled (S1010 and S1011) and then output to the printer (S1013 toS1015) or stored in the box (S1016), according to the setting of theoperation part 150 (S1012).

<Box Print Sequence>

Next, a sequence, in which the CPU 112 in the main controller 111operates the box print function printing a box-stored image, will bedescribed by use of the processing flow example of FIG. 11.

In S1101, the CPU 112 carries out box print setting for each partaccording to user's key operation or touch panel operation on theoperation part 150.

In S1102, the CPU 112 controls the I/O controller 126 and the buscontroller 113 so as to transfer the image data in the user area of theHD drive 160 to the DRAM 116.

This data is the data compressed by the codec 118. Accordingly, the CPU112 carries out control of sending a decompression instruction to thecodec 118 and transferring the image data from the DRAM 116, andreturning the decompressed image data to the DRAM 116 in S1103.

In S1104, the CPU 112 determines whether the processing of the graphicprocessor 135 such as rotation, magnification change, and synthesis isnecessary or not, referring to the box print setting. If necessary, theCPU 112 moves the control to S1106, and, if not necessary, the CPU 112moves the control to S1111.

When the processing of the graphic processor 135 is necessary, the CPU112 transfers the data in the DRAM 116 to the graphic processor 135 andcontrols the graphic processor so as to perform predeterminedprocessing. Subsequently, the CPU 112 carries out control of returningthe image data subjected to the processing, to the DRAM 116 again inS1107.

The CPU 112 performs data compression on the image data in the DRAM 116using the codec 118 in S1108 and performs the page spooling in S1109.

Next, in S1110, the CPU 112, after detecting that the printer engine isready, controls the codec 118 so as to decompress the page spooled imagedata and store the decompressed image data into the DRAM 116.

The CPU 112 transfers the image data in the DRAM 116 to the printer I/F145 in S1111, instructs the print operation in S1112, and terminates thebox print sequence in S1113 after the print operation.

<Explanation of the Dither Matrix and the Dither Matrix Information>

Here, the dither matrix 408 used in the screen processing 406 of theimage processing part 181 and the dither matrix information 505 used inthe affine transformation part 504 of the graphic processor 135 will bedescribed by use of specific numerical value examples.

FIG. 13 shows a specific example of the dither matrix 408 necessary whenthe screen processing 406 carries out the screen processing.

Symbol 1300 shows the numerical values of the dither matrix itself whichhas a size of 25×25. First, a head address of the dither matrix 1300 isset to a head address of the image (head address of the upper left), andthe pixel value of the multi-value code image is compared to thenumerical value of the dither matrix 1300 in the screen processing 406.Then, the pixel values of zeros or ones are assigned to thecorresponding 25×25 addresses, respectively. When one processing stephas finished, the screen processing 406 moves the dither matrix 1300 inthe main-scan direction by the size of the dither matrix, that is, 25pixels, and carries out the same threshold value comparison. When havingfinished the movement in the main-scan direction, the screen processing406 moves the dither matrix 1300 in the sub-scan direction by 25 pixelsand carries out the same threshold value comparison. In this manner, thescreen processing 406 carries out the threshold value comparison whilemoving the dither matrix 1300 over the entire image without an overlap.

The pixel having a gray background shown by Symbol 1301 is a pixel whichhas the smallest numerical value in the dither matrix. When an imagesignal value is sequentially increased from zero, dots grow having acenter at this pixel, and thereby this pixel is called a growth core.That is, the growth core is a pixel to become the center of the growthin the screen processing (growth center pixel). The dither matrix 1300has a plurality of growth cores and a screen line is determined by thepositions of the plurality of growth cores.

The area surrounded by the bold line shown by Symbol 1302 shows an areawhere the dots are growing having a center at the growth core (screengrowth pattern area). A dot growth pattern is specified within the areacentering the growth core. This area is called a specific area.

The dot pattern within the specific area shown by Symbol 1302 can beassociated with an input signal value. FIG. 14 shows an example of theassociation information; dot pattern/multi-value code correspondinginformation 1400.

Symbol 1400 is an association table of the signal value with thepattern, in which the numerical values of the dither matrix 1300 arecompared with numerical values of 0 to 255 for bit width signals of theinput image, and one is assigned for the case of a larger signal valueand zero is assigned for the case of a smaller signal value. That is,the dot pattern/multi-value code corresponding information 1400 can workas a table associating each signal value with the corresponding dotpattern. Thereby, referring to the dot pattern/multi-value codecorresponding information 1400, it is possible to obtain a signal valuecorresponding to a certain dot pattern and to obtain a dot patterncorresponding to a certain signal value.

For example, the dot pattern shown by Symbol 1401 corresponds to asignal value of one or larger and smaller than ten, and the dot patternshown by Symbol 1902 corresponds to a signal value of 31 or larger andsmaller than 40. Further, the dot pattern shown by Symbol 1403corresponds to a signal value of 61 or larger and smaller than 70, andthe dot pattern shown by Symbol 1404 corresponds to a signal value of231 or larger and smaller than 240.

Such an association table is preliminarily generated and retained foreach of all the signal values and stored in the SRAM 136 connected tothe graphic processor 135 as a part of the dither matrix information505.

In this manner, the present embodiment causes the dot pattern in thespecific area, which is associated with the growth core in the point ofthe dot growth, to be multi-value information (multi-value code)according to the predetermined signal value.

Further, FIG. 15 shows examples of a growth core coordinates 1501 and aspecific area coordinate pattern 1502. These sets of information aredetermined when the dither matrix 1300 is designed and provided togetherwith the dither matrix 1300. Also the growth core coordinates 1501 andthe specific area coordinate pattern 1502 are stored in the SRAM 136 asa part of the dither matrix information 505.

<Configuration and Operation of the Affine Transformation Part>

Next, the configuration and operation of the affine transformation part504 provided to the graphic processor 135 will be described by use ofthe block diagram shown in FIG. 16 and flow examples shown in FIG. 17and FIG. 18.

A multi-value code image generation part 1602 is a block converting aninput image 1600 input after the tile division into a multi-value codeimage using the growth core coordinates (growth center coordinates) 1501and the dot pattern/multi-value code corresponding information 1400.Note that the input image 1600 is an image subjected to the screenprocessing using the dither matrix.

The processing of the multi-value code image generation part 1602, whichoutputs the multi-value code image from the input image of the dotpatter within the extracted specific area, will be described by use ofthe flow example shown in FIG. 17.

The multi-value code image generation part 1602 starts the processing inS1700.

In S1701, the multi-value code image generation part 1602 prepares abuffer in the SRAM 136 for the output of the multi-value code image. Thesize of this buffer may be the same as that of the tile image.

Next, in S1702, the multi-value code image generation part 1602 receivesthe input image 1600 which has been tile-divided in the tile divisionpart 502.

In S1703, the multi-value code image generation part 1602 scans thegrowth core coordinates in the image received in S1702 using the growthcore coordinates 1501 in a sequence; from left to right, down by oneline, and then from left to right, for example. That is, the multi-valuecode image generation part 1602 extracts the growth core coordinates(growth center coordinates) by collating the coordinate positions of apixel with the minimum value in the dither matrix to be used and thepixel in the input image 1600 after the tile division.

In S1709, the multi-value code image generation part 1602 extracts a dotpattern of the specific area centering the growth core found by the scanusing the specific area coordinate pattern 1502. For carrying out thisextraction, the multi-value code image generation part 1602 may extracta dot pattern obtained by OR of the dot pattern within the specific areacentering the growth core coordinates in the input image 1600 after thetile division and the specific area coordinate pattern 1502. Theextracted dot pattern is stored into the SRAM 136.

FIG. 19 shows an input image 1900 which is an example of the input imageand a specific area 1901 which is an example of the extracted specificarea. In this example, a dot pattern composed of four-bit ON pixels(pixels exceeding a threshold value) exists within the specific area1901.

In S1705, the multi-value code image generation part 1602 carries outpattern matching between the dot pattern within the extracted specificarea and the dot pattern within the dot pattern/multi-value codecorresponding information 1400. For the pattern matching, a product-sumoperation of the dot pattern in each of the extracted specific areas andall the dot patterns retained in Symbol 1900 is carried out and thepattern having the largest value may be employed as a matched pattern.As shown in FIG. 14, the dot pattern is associated with the signalvalue. Accordingly, the multi-value code image generation part 1602outputs the signal value corresponding to the matched dot pattern as amulti-value code. In S1706, the multi-value code image generation part1602 stores the multi-value code output in S1705 into the output buffersecured in the SRAM 136 at the growth core coordinate position.

In this manner, the multi-value code image generation part 1602 encodesthe dot pattern existing in each specific area and assigns a multi-valuecode of the encoding as a pixel value of the growth core coordinates inthe corresponding specific area. That is, the multi-value code imagegeneration part 1602 provides the multi-value code, which has beenobtained by the multi-value encoding of the dot pattern, to the growthcore coordinate position before the affine transformation (e.g. beforerotation), as a pixel value. This multi-value code assigned to thegrowth core coordinate position is called a multi-value code pixelvalue. The multi-value code pixel value functions as dot pattern codeinformation.

In S1707, the multi-value code image generation part 1602 checks whetheror not all the growth cores have been subjected to the multi-valueencoding processing, and, if not, returns the process to S1703 andcontinues the processing for the growth core which has not beenprocessed. If all the growth cores have been subjected to theprocessing, the multi-value code image generation part 1602 terminatesthe process in S1708 and transfers the process to a multi-value codeimage affine transformation part 1603. At this time, the image which istransferred from the multi-value code image generation part 1602 to themulti-value code image affine transformation part 1603 includes amulti-value code pixel value and thereby is called a multi-value codeimage.

FIG. 20 shows an example of an image of the processing result in themulti-value code image generation part 1602 (multi-value code image). Amulti-value code image 2000 is an image having the multi-value code 30or 10 corresponding to the dot pattern included in the specific area, atthe growth core coordinate position as a pixel value.

Next, the operation of the multi-value code image affine transformationpart 1603 will be described.

The multi-value code image affine transformation part 1603 has afunction of performing rotation and/or magnification change by thefollowing formula on the multi-value code image input from themulti-value code image generation part 1602.

$\begin{matrix}{\left. {I\left( {{xd},{y\; d}} \right)}\Leftarrow{I\left( {{xs},{ys}} \right)} \right.{\begin{pmatrix}{xd} \\{y\; d}\end{pmatrix} = {\begin{pmatrix}A & B \\C & D\end{pmatrix}\begin{pmatrix}{xs} \\{ys}\end{pmatrix}}}} & \left( {{Formula}\mspace{14mu} 1} \right)\end{matrix}$

Here, I(x, y) indicates a pixel value at coordinates (x, y), (xs, ys)indicates coordinates before coordinate conversion, and (xd, yd)indicates coordinates after the coordinate conversion. The numericalvalues in the matrix A, B, C and D are determined appropriately by anaffine transformation setting. The coordinate value after the coordinateconversion is rounded into an integer value. Note that the coordinatesof a rotation center or a magnification change center is set to an upperleft coordinate origin. While, strictly speaking, coordinate systemconversion is necessary before the above matrix conversion in this case,the coordinate system conversion will be omitted for simplicity ofexplanation.

Further, the multi-value code image affine transformation part 1603secures a sufficient output buffer in the SRAM 136 according to anaffine transformation parameter. For example, for 200% enlargement,multi-value code image affine transformation part 1603 secures theoutput buffer two times as large as the tile image size.

Next, a specific numerical value example of this matrix and a processingresult will be described for the case of 90 degree counter-clockwiserotation and the case of 75% reduction, for example.

1) For the 90 degree rotation, the above matrix becomes the followingrotation matrix.

$\begin{matrix}\begin{pmatrix}{\cos \; \theta} & {{- \sin}\; \theta} \\{\sin \; \theta} & {\cos \; \theta}\end{pmatrix} & \left( {{Formula}\mspace{14mu} 2} \right)\end{matrix}$

Here, θ in the rotation matrix is 90 degrees.

FIG. 21 shows a processing result example of the 90 degreecounter-clockwise rotation for the multi-value code image shown in FIG.20 by the coordinate conversion using this matrix.

2) For the 75% reduction, the above matrix is given as the followingmatrix.

$\begin{matrix}\begin{pmatrix}0.75 & 0 \\0 & 0.75\end{pmatrix} & \left( {{Formula}\mspace{14mu} 3} \right)\end{matrix}$

FIG. 24 shows a processing result example of the 75% reduction for themulti-value code image shown in FIG. 20 by the coordinate conversionusing this matrix.

Both examples show that the coordinate position having the multi-valuecode pixel value such as one generated by the multi-value code imagegeneration part 1602 moves from the growth core coordinates before theaffine transformation. That is, the growth core coordinates before theaffine transformation and the coordinates having the multi-value codepixel value after the affine transformation (growth core coordinatesafter the affine transformation) are sometimes different from eachother. The multi-value code image affine transformation part 1603 storesthe multi-value code image after the affine transformation as shown inFIG. 21 and FIG. 24 into the output buffer prepared in the SRAM 136.

While the matrix numerical value examples are shown in the aboveexamples respectively for the rotation and magnification change whichare independent from each other, when the rotation and the magnificationchange are carried out at the same time, the coordinate conversion maybe carried out using a product of the matrices. Further, it is obviousthat the rotation angle is not limited to −90 degrees or themagnification change ratio is not limited to 75% in reduction.

Next, a multi-value code image assignment part 1604 carries out the flowshown in FIG. 18 for the input of the multi-value code image subjectedto the affine transformation in the multi-value code image affinetransformation part 1603. The following will describe the processingoutputting an image such as one having the multi-value code as a pixelvalue at the growth core before the affine transformation, using theflow example of FIG. 18.

The multi-value code image assignment part 1604 starts the processing inS1800.

In S1801, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604 prepares anoutput buffer having the same size as that of the tile image after theaffine transformation in the SRAM 136.

Next, in S1802, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604 readsout the multi-value code image after the affine transformation by themulti-value code image affine transformation part 1603, from the SRAM136.

In S1803, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604 scans thegrowth core coordinates of the used dither matrix on the multi-valuecode image after the affine transformation (coordinates corresponding tothe growth core coordinates before the affine transformation) using thegrowth core coordinates 1501.

In S1804, for the growth core coordinates before the affinetransformation which has been found by the scanning, the multi-valuecode image assignment part 1604 searches for a predetermined number ofpixels each having the multi-value code around the growth corecoordinates as a pixel value (growth cores after the affinetransformation). Subsequently, the multi-value code image assignmentpart 1604 obtains the pixel position and the pixel value thereof. Thatis, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604 detects at least onegrowth core after the affine transformation neighboring close to thefound growth core before the affine transformation. Here, the searchoperation is realized by expanding an N×N area centering the growth coreuntil the multi-value code pixel (growth core after the affinetransformation) is found.

In S1805, when a plurality of growth cores after the transformation isobtained in S1804, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604carries out interpolation calculation using a plurality of pixel valuescorresponding to the above growth cores after the transformation. Theinterpolation calculation here may be carried out using linearinterpolation. The pixel value obtained by this interpolationcalculation functions as the dot pattern code information representingthe dot pattern, and is assigned as a pixel value of the growth corebefore the affine transformation in the multi-value code image after theaffine transformation as described below.

In S1806, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604 assigns theinterpolated pixel value to a position of the growth core scanned inS1803 (corresponding to the growth core coordinates before the affinetransformation) and stores the interpolated pixel value into the bufferin the SRAM 136.

In S1807, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604 checks whetheror not all the growth cores scanned in S1803 have been processed, andreturns the process to S1803, if all the growth cores have not beenprocessed. If all the growth cores have been processed, the process isterminated in S1808.

In this manner, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604 assignsthe dot pattern code information to each of the growth cores before theaffine transformation in the multi-value code image after the affinetransformation. That is, according to first dot pattern code informationof at least one closely neighboring growth core after the affinetransformation, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604 assignssecond dot pattern code information to each of the above growth coresbefore the affine transformation.

FIG. 22 and FIG. 25 show examples of the images in the processingresults of the multi-value code image assignment part 1604,respectively. FIG. 22 shows the case of 90 degree rotation and FIG. 25shows the case of 75% reduction. The multi-value code written in thewhite background cell shows the multi-value code after the affinetransformation, and the gray background cell indicates the growth corebefore the affine transformation. The multi-value code written in thegray background cell is the processing result of the multi-value codeimage assignment part 1604 (above second dot pattern code information).

The multi-value code image obtained in this manner is converted backagain into the one bit image of the dot pattern by a dot patterndevelopment part 1605.

The dot pattern development part 1605 reads the multi-value code imageobtained in S1806 from the SRAM 136 and develops the multi-value codeimage into a dot pattern image using the dot pattern/multi-value codecorresponding information 1400. That is, the dot pattern developmentpart 1605 table-searches the multi-value codes in the dotpattern/multi-value code corresponding information 1400 for themulti-value code image pixel value obtained by the multi-value codeimage assignment part 1604 (second dot pattern code information) andextracts a corresponding dot pattern. Then, the dot pattern developmentpart 1605 locates the dot pattern in the buffer prepared in the SRAM 136so as to develop the dot pattern around the growth core before theaffine transformation within the specific area.

The dot pattern development part 1605, after having developed all themulti-value codes into the dot patterns, outputs the developed image asan output image 1620 and transfers the image to the tile integrationpart 503.

FIG. 23 and FIG. 26 show examples of the processing results in the dotpattern development part 1605 for the case of 90 degree rotation and thecase of 75% reduction, respectively.

FIG. 23 and FIG. 26 show that the input image of the dot pattern isconverted into the rotated and reduced output images, respectively, bythe above respective processes while retaining the growth pattern of thedither matrix.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the image processingapparatus detects the growth core which is the center of the screengrowth using the dither matrix used in the screen processing andspecifies the image area (specific area) where the dots grow around thedetected growth core. Then, the image processing apparatus performsmulti-value encoding of the dot pattern existing in the specific areausing the table associating the plurality of dot patterns (preferablyall the dot patterns to be realized within the specific area) with thenumerical values for encoding (dot pattern/multi-value codecorresponding information 1400). This multi-value-coded information (dotpattern code information) is retained as the growth core pixel value(multi-value code pixel value) and the image processing apparatusgenerates the multi-value code image composed of the multi-value codepixel values.

For the case of the affine transformation, the image processingapparatus performs the affine transformation on the multi-value codeimage. Subsequently, the image processing apparatus assigns the codeinformation (second dot pattern code information) to the growth corecoordinates before the affine transformation using the pixel value(multi-value code pixel value) at the coordinate position (growth corecoordinates after the affine transformation) of the closely neighboringpixel having the multi-value-coded information. Then, the imageprocessing apparatus develops the dot pattern at the coordinate positionof the growth core before the affine transformation into the surroundingimage area (within the specific area) using the second dot pattern codeinformation and the above table.

In this manner, since the object of the affine transformation is not theactual dot pattern but the code information representing the dotpattern, the present embodiment can suppress the change of the dot sizeand the deformation of the dot itself caused in the actual affinetransformation.

Further, the present embodiment assigns the code information (second dotpattern code information), which reflects the code information of thegrowth core dot pattern after the affine transformation around thegrowth core before the affine transformation, to the growth corecoordinates before the affine transformation in the multi-value codeimage after the affine transformation. Accordingly, it is possible togrow the dots from the original coordinate position of the used dithermatrix. That is, as described above, the number of the screen lines isdetermined by the positions of the growth cores. Thereby, the number ofthe screen lines can be made the same before and after the affinetransformation by use of the growth core coordinate position before theaffine transformation in the multi-value code image after the affinetransformation as a start point of arranging the dot pattern when theoutput image is generated. Accordingly, the output image after theaffine transformation can be made equivalent to the image without theaffine transformation processing.

Further, in the present embodiment, a certain focused dot pattern isprocessed through the conversions of the dot pattern to the codeinformation and the code information to the dot pattern, and the affinetransformation is carried out for the code information. At this time,the same table (table for multi-value encoding the dot pattern; the dotpattern/multi-value code corresponding information 1400) is used for theconversion from the dot pattern into the code information and for theconversion from the code information into the dot pattern. Accordingly,the same signal value can obtain the same dot pattern, and it ispossible to cause the shape and size of the dot pattern obtained by thedevelopment of the second dot pattern code information to be the same asthose before the affine transformation.

Second Embodiment

In the first embodiment, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604provided to the affine transformation part 504 in the graphic processor135 is configured to obtain the pixel values around the growth corecoordinates and carry out the interpolation calculation as in the stepsS1804 and S1805 of the processing flow example in FIG. 18. The presentembodiment shows an example of using the pixel value of the multi-valuecode image after the affine transformation at a pixel nearest to thegrowth core coordinates before the affine transformation.

The processing of the multi-value code image assignment part 1604according to the present embodiment will be described by use of the flowof FIG. 27 as an example.

In S2700, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604 starts theprocessing.

In S2701, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604 prepares anoutput buffer having the same size as that of the tile image after theaffine transformation in the SRAM 136.

Next, in S2702, the multi-value code image assignment part 1609 readsout the multi-value code image after the affine transformation by themulti-value code image affine transformation part 1603, from the SRAM136.

In S2703, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604 scans thegrowth core coordinates before the affine transformation on themulti-value code image after the affine transformation using the growthcore coordinates 1501.

In S2704, for the growth core coordinates found by the scanning, themulti-value code image assignment part 1604 searches for the nearestpixel among the pixels having the multi-value codes around the growthcore coordinates as the pixel values (growth cores after the affinetransformation). In S2705, the multi-value code image assignment part1604 assigns the found pixel value to the position of the scanned growthcore coordinate (corresponding to the growth core coordinate before theaffine transformation) and stores the pixel value into the buffer in theSRAM 136.

In S2706, the multi-value code image assignment part 1604 checks whetheror not all the growth cores have been processed, and returns the processto S2703, if all the growth cores have not been processed. If all thegrowth cores have been processed, the process is terminated in S2707.

By such processing flow, the interpolation calculation of the foundpixel values is not carried out and thereby it is possible to obtain aneffect of improving the processing performance. In the case that theaffine transformation is carried out only for the rotation, thesimplified processing does not cause accuracy degradation and thereby isparticularly effective.

Third Embodiment

In the first and second embodiments, the affine transformation part 504in the graphic processor 135 carries out the processing using thepreliminarily generated dot pattern/multi-value code correspondinginformation 1400. On the other hand, the present embodiment shows aprocessing example without using the dot pattern/multi-value codecorresponding information 1400 by storing the dot pattern and providingID thereto in the operation of the affine transformation part 504.

A configuration example of the affine transformation part in the presentembodiment will be described by use of FIG. 28.

In the configuration of the present embodiment, a multi-value code imagegeneration part 2801 stores the dot pattern within the specific areafrom the input image 1600 into the SRAM 136 as dot pattern/pattern IDcorresponding information 2800 together with the ID information foridentifying the dot pattern. That is, the ID information functions asthe above multi-value code, since the corresponding dot pattern can beobtained by the above ID information. In this manner, the dotpattern/pattern ID corresponding information 2800 functions as a tableretaining each dot pattern and the correspondingly provided IDinformation in association with each other.

A dot pattern development part 2805 develops the dot pattern from themulti-value code which is the dot pattern ID using the dotpattern/pattern ID corresponding information 2800.

The operation of the multi-value code image generation part 2801 in thepresent embodiment will be described by use of the flow example shown inFIG. 29.

The multi-value code image generation part 2801 starts the processing inS2900.

In S2901, the multi-value code image generation part 2801 prepares abuffer for the output of the multi-value code image in the SRAM 136. Thesize of this buffer may be the same as that of the tile image.

Next, in S2902, the multi-value code image generation part 2801 receivesthe input image 1600 which has been divided into tiles in the tiledivision part 502. In S2903, the multi-value code image generation part2801 scans the growth core coordinates in the image received in S2902 ina sequence; from the coordinate origin (upper left), left to right, downby one line, and then left to right, for example, using the growth corecoordinate 1501.

In S2904, the multi-value code image generation part 2801 extracts thedot pattern within the specific area centering the growth core found bythe scanning using the specific area coordinate pattern 1502. Forcarrying out this extraction, the multi-value code image generation part2801 may extract a dot pattern obtained by OR of the dot pattern withinthe specific area centering the growth core coordinates and the specificarea coordinate pattern 1502. The extracted dot pattern is stored intothe SRAM 136.

In S2905, the multi-value code image generation part 2801 stores theextracted dot pattern within the specific area as the dotpattern/pattern ID corresponding information 2800 together with thepattern ID. The multi-value code image generation part 2801 provides thepattern ID uniquely to a pattern appearing first.

In S2906, the multi-value code image generation part 2801 stores thepattern ID as the multi-value code provided to the dot pattern into theoutput buffer secured in the SRAM 136 at a growth core coordinateposition.

In S2907, the multi-value code image generation part 2801 checks whetheror not all the growth cores have been subjected to the multi-valueencoding processing, and, if not, returns the process to S2903 andcontinues the processing for the growth core which has not beenprocessed. If all the growth cores have been processed, the multi-valuecode image generation part 2801 terminates the process in S2908 andtransfers the process to the multi-value code image affinetransformation part 1603.

Note that, in the case that the pattern ID is provided as the pixelvalue of the multi-value code image as described above, it is necessarynot to carry out the interpolation calculation in the multi-value codeimage assignment part 1604.

By the processing flow as described above, it is possible to realize theoperation without carrying out the pattern matching with the dot patternwithin the specific area and the effect of the processing performanceimprovement can be obtained. Further, it is not necessary topreliminarily prepare the dot pattern/multi-value code correspondinginformation and the effect of memory capacity reduction can be obtained.

Other Embodiment

Aspects of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of asystem or apparatus (or devices such as a CPU or MPU) that reads out andexecutes a program recorded on a memory device to perform the functionsof the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method, the steps ofwhich are performed by a computer of a system or apparatus by, forexample, reading out and executing a program recorded on a memory deviceto perform the functions of the above-described embodiment(s). For thispurpose, the program is provided to the computer for example via anetwork or from a recording medium of various types serving as thememory device (e.g., computer-readable medium).

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2008-278651, filed Oct. 29, 2008, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

1. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a unit generating amulti-value code image by assigning first dot pattern code informationto each of growth center pixels which are growth centers of screenprocessing, in an image subjected to the screen processing by use of adither matrix, the first dot pattern code information representing a dotpattern and obtained by encoding the dot pattern existing in an imagearea where dots grow around the growth center pixel; a unit performingan affine transformation on the multi-value code image; a unit assigningsecond dot pattern code information which represents the dot pattern, toeach of the growth center pixels before the affine transformation in themulti-value code image after the affine transformation according to thefirst dot pattern code information of at least one growth center pixelafter the affine transformation, the at least one growth center pixelneighboring close to the growth center pixel before the affinetransformation; and a unit developing the dot pattern for the image areaat each of the growth center pixels before the affine transformationaccording to the second dot pattern code information.
 2. The imageprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the generation unitincludes: a unit extracting the growth center pixel from the imagesubjected to the screen processing by use of the dither matrix; and aunit specifying the image area around the extracted growth center pixel.3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein theextraction of the growth center pixel by the extraction unit and thespecification of the image area by the specification unit are carriedout according to dither matrix information which represents the dithermatrix.
 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, furthercomprising a table associating a plurality of dot patterns withnumerical values for the encoding, wherein the generation unit carriesout assignment of the first dot pattern code information by assigningthe numerical value, which corresponds to the dot pattern existing inthe specified image area, to the growth center pixel as a pixel valuewith reference to the table, and wherein the development unit obtainsthe dot pattern corresponding to the second dot pattern code informationwith reference to the table and develops the obtained dot pattern in theimage area relative to a growth center coordinate before the affinetransformation.
 5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2,wherein the generation unit further includes: a unit extracting the dotpattern from the image area; a unit providing the extracted dot patternwith ID; a unit assigning the ID to the growth center pixel as the firstdot pattern code information; and a unit retaining the extracted dotpattern and the ID for identifying the dot pattern in association witheach other, wherein the development unit obtains the dot patterncorresponding to the retained ID and develops the obtained dot patternin the image area relative to a growth center coordinate before theaffine transformation.
 6. The image processing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the assignment unit interpolates the first dot patterncode information of a plurality of growth center pixels after the affinetransformation, to obtain the second dot pattern code information, theplurality of growth center pixels neighboring close to the growth centerpixel before the affine transformation.
 7. The image processingapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the assignment unit assigns thefirst dot pattern code information of the growth center pixel after theaffine transformation as the second dot pattern code information, thegrowth center pixel being located nearest to the growth center pixelbefore the affine transformation.
 8. The image processing apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the affine transformation is at least oneof rotation transformation, enlargement transformation, and reductiontransformation.
 9. An image processing method, comprising the steps of:generating a multi-value code image by assigning first dot pattern codeinformation to each of growth center pixels which are growth centers ofscreen processing, in an image subjected to the screen processing by useof a dither matrix, the first dot pattern code information representinga dot pattern and obtained by encoding the dot pattern existing in animage area where dots grow around the growth center pixel; performing anaffine transformation on the multi-value code image; assigning seconddot pattern code information which represents the dot pattern, to eachof the growth center pixels before the affine transformation in themulti-value code image after the affine transformation according to thefirst dot pattern code information of at least one growth center pixelafter the affine transformation, the at least one growth center pixelneighboring close to the growth center pixel before the affinetransformation; and developing the dot pattern for the image area ateach of the growth center pixels before the affine transformationaccording to the second dot pattern code information.
 10. The imageprocessing method according to claim 9, wherein the generation stepincludes the steps of: extracting the growth center pixel from the imagesubjected to the screen processing by use of the dither matrix; andspecifying the image area around the extracted growth center pixel. 11.The image processing method according to claim 10, wherein theextraction of the growth center pixel by the extraction step and thespecification of the image area by the specification step are carriedout according to dither matrix information which represents the dithermatrix.
 12. The image processing method according to claim 10, whereinthe generation step carries out assignment of the first dot pattern codeinformation by assigning a numerical value, which corresponds to the dotpattern existing in the specified image area, to the growth center pixelas a pixel value with reference to a table associating a plurality ofdot patterns with the numerical values for the encoding, and wherein thedevelopment step obtains the dot pattern corresponding to the second dotpattern code information with reference to the table and develops theobtained dot pattern in the image area relative to a growth centercoordinate before the affine transformation.
 13. The image processingmethod according to claim 10, wherein the generation step furtherincludes the steps of: extracting the dot pattern from the image area;providing the extracted dot pattern with ID; assigning the ID to thegrowth center pixel as the first dot pattern code information; andretaining the extracted dot pattern and the ID for identifying the dotpattern in association with each other, and wherein the development stepobtains the dot pattern corresponding to the retained ID and developsthe obtained dot pattern in the image area relative to a growth centercoordinate before the affine transformation.
 14. The image processingmethod according to claim 9, wherein the assignment step interpolatesthe first dot pattern code information of a plurality of growth centerpixels after the affine transformation, to obtain the second dot patterncode information, the plurality of growth center pixels neighboringclose to the growth center pixel before the affine transformation. 15.The image processing method according to claim 9, wherein the assignmentstep assigns the first dot pattern code information of the growth centerpixel after the affine transformation as the second dot pattern codeinformation, the growth center pixel being located nearest to the growthcenter pixel before the affine transformation.
 16. The image processingmethod according to claim 9, wherein the affine transformation is atleast one of rotation transformation, enlargement transformation, andreduction transformation.
 17. A computer-readable recording mediumrecording a program causing a computer to execute the steps of:generating a multi-value code image by assigning first dot pattern codeinformation to each of growth center pixels which are growth centers ofscreen processing, in an image subjected to the screen processing by useof a dither matrix, the first dot pattern code information representinga dot pattern and obtained by encoding the dot pattern existing in animage area where dots grow around the growth center pixel; performing anaffine transformation on the multi-value code image; assigning seconddot pattern code information which represents the dot pattern, to eachof the growth center pixels before the affine transformation in themulti-value code image after the affine transformation according to thefirst dot pattern code information of at least one growth center pixelafter the affine transformation, the at least one growth center pixelneighboring close to the growth center pixel before the affinetransformation; and developing the dot pattern for the image area ateach of the growth center pixels before the affine transformationaccording to the second dot pattern code information.